Chapter V.



CAMPING UP--BLACK FOREST TO EAGLE HAWK GULLY


SUNDAY, 12.--A lovely summer morning, which raised our spirits to
something like their usual tone, with the exception of our gallant(?)
captain, who resigned his post, declaring it his intention to return to
Melbourne with the four returning diggers. Poor fellow! their awful
account of the Black Forest had been too much for his courage. Gregory
was elected in his place, and wishing him a pleasant trip home, our
journey was resumed as usual, and we entered the forest. Here the trees
grow very closely together; in some places they are so thickly
set that the rear-guard of the escort cannot see the advance-guard in
the march. There is a slight undergrowth of scrub. We saw some of the
choicest of the ERICA tribe in full bloom, like a beautiful crimson
waxen bell-blossom, and once whilst walking (which I frequently did to
relieve the monotony of being perched on the dray by myself) I saw a
fine specimen of the ORELUDIAE at the foot of a tree growing from the
wood; it was something like a yellow sweet-pea, but really too
beautiful to describe. The barks of the trees, and also the ground,
have a black, charred appearance (hence the name of the forest); this
is said to have been caused by its having once been on fire. Many of
the ambuscades of the noted Douglas were passed, and the scenes of some
most fearful murders pointed out. We only halted once--so anxious were
we to leave behind us this dreaded spot--and at sunset reached the
borders of the Five Mile Creek.